Lesotho’s King Letsie III to Join AWDC Dinner

The Antwerp World Diamond Centre (AWDC) said on Thursday H.M. King Letsie III of the kingdom of Lesotho would be a guest of honor at its gala dinner on the first day of its annual Antwerp Diamond Conference.

The fifth Antwerp diamond conference entitled “Diamonds, a symbol of value” will take place on November 17 and 18 and traditionally features a wide array of internationally known speakers and participants and draws the attention of the global diamond trade.

“The AWDC has a privileged relationship with Lesotho,” Freddy Hanard, chief executive of the AWDC said in a statement, noting that the “mountain kingdom” ranks tenth in the top of diamond exporting countries to Antwerp.

“[Lesotho] has a special place in our hearts since we have had the opportunity twice to tender two of its most beautiful natural treasures here in Antwerp: the Lesotho Promise, a 603-carat rough diamond discovered in Lesotho and the 10th largest white diamond ever to be found, and the Letseng Legacy, a 493 ct diamond,” Hanard said adding that both rough diamonds were put up for auction and polished in Antwerp.

H.M. King Letsie III was sworn in as the King of Lesotho in 1990.

The AWDC previously announced that Sir Richard Branson will also attend the gala dinner and speak at it.